Fire-alarm system.



W. L. DENIO.

FIRE ALARM SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED 3.5, 1909.

1,008,960. Patented Nov. 14, 1 911.

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WILLIAM L. nnivro, or RoonE's'rER, NEW YORK...

FIRE-ALARM SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 14, 1911.

Application filed April 5, 1909. Serial No. 487,981.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. DENIO, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire- Alarm Systems; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the reference-numerals marked thereon.

My present invention relates to fire alarm systems in which the alarm is given by an automatic mechanism or call box which is electrically controlled and in which the operating circuit is completed .by means of thermostatic devices. I

The invention has for its object an arrangement of circuits which will minimize the liability of sounding an alarm from accidental causes together with means whereby the various circuits may be tested without actuating the alarm mechanism per se.

To these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations of parts all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification. I

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a diagram matic illustration showing the preferred arrangement of the various parts of apparatus arranged in accordance with my present invention, and, Fig. 2 is a similar illustration showing a modification.

Devices embodying my present invention are adapted to be used in conjunction with fire alarm calling or signaling boxes or impulse transmitters of the usual or any preferred construction which are designed to be normally set for operation and released by a flow of current in the energizing or controlling circuit. In connection with mechanism of this character it is important thatthe circuit controlling the operation of the signal box be so arranged that it may not be accidentally set into operation and I as these circuits may be of considerable length and be extended through numerous rooms and different floors of a building for connecting a comparatively large district with one signal box, it is essential that adequate means be provided whereby the controlling circuit may be tested as a means of demonstrating the fact that it is at alltimes'in operative condition Without releasing the signaling box during such tests.

In order to illustrate my present invention, I have shown it in connection with a signaling device or calling box, indicated by A, and comprising a toothed member or number wheel 1 which is adapted to be driven by a clock train, actuated by a spring (not shown), and comprising an escapement wheel 2 with which cooperates a verge 3 normally locked by a trip 4:. Cooperating with the number wheel 1 is a contact spring 5 which is connected by a wire 6 forming latter may be associated with a telephone circuit leading from a residence or building,

or such circuit may extend directly to the fire department headquarters.

The trip 4 which interrupts the vibration of the verge acts as a restraining member nected' to the armature 8 of an electromagnet, it will be understood that the mecha' nism of the call box may be restrained by other forms of electrically operated devices which will be actuated when a flow of current thereto is permitted;

In carrying out my invention I provide a conductor leading from the restraining device in which is interposed a source of current such as the battery 13. The second conductor over which the circuit is completed also leads from the restraining device but is not in electrical connection with the first mentioned conductor, these two main conductors being connected by thermostatic devices which when actuated or set into operation, by being heated to a predetermined temperature, will complete the electrical circuit.

It has been demonstrated by experience that alarms are sounded unnecessarilywhen two parallel conductors have been employed, as it frequently happens that an incipient fire which will'actuate a single thermostat will be extinguished by persons on the premises so that the sending in of the alarm might have been obviated. Further, it is not an infrequent occurrence that a thermostatic device is accidentally operated or touched off by means other than an actual land while in the preferred structure shown in Fig. 1, the trip is shown as being con and this I connect by means of the th ermo v static devices to each of the main conductors.

The thermostats I arrange in pairs, those of each pair being separated but arranged in such a position, one to the other, as in the same room or compartment of a building, that a co-nflagration occurring in proximity to one of them will actuate both thermostatic devices in the event it is not extinguished and acquires headway sufficient to threaten the'entire room or its contents. My invention also comprehends the arrangement of the two main conductors and the secondary conductors in the form of loops and providing in the latter switches, and contacts with which they cooperate, said switches being capable of adjustment to cut out or disconnect the retaining mechanism of the signaling device and bring into circuit with the loops indicating devices, such as bells or buz'zers, which will then be operated to indicate whether or not the loop circuits are intact throughout the building in which they are arranged, theoperation of these indicating devices under certain conditions also enabling the operator to determine whether or not any of the thermostatic devices have bee-n actuated and should be replaced by new ones. The arrangement of the circuits I have thus described generally will be understood from an inspection of Fig. 1 in which the electrically operated retaining device governing the movement of the fire alarm signaling box is illustrated as an electromagnet 9. The main conductors indi cated by C and D are arranged to form the loops C and D which it will be understood, may be extended over any desired territory or district which it is desired to connect with the signaling mechanism A. The secondary conductor is arranged parallel to the main conductors and for convenience in illustration is shown as located intermediate the latter. This conductor is indicated by E and is connected by a plurality of thermostatic devices e with the main conductor C and by similar devices, indicated by c, with the main conductor D. It will be understood that the thermostats e and e are associated in pairs and may be located in proximity to each other at various points in the loops of the conductors.

The testing switch before referred to is indicated. by 'E and comprises the switch arms 10, 1'1, 12 and 13 which are pivoted I on the posts 10, 11 12 and 15 and nor mally engage the contacts 10 11 12 and 13. These switch arms are connected for simultaneous operation and when revolved,

cooperate with the contact sockets 10, 11,

12 and 13. The loop of the secondary conductor E is normally closed through the switch arm 6' which rests in engagement "Wl'tll the contact 6 said switch arm being also adapted to engage the contact 6 con-.

nected by the wire e with an indicating device e from which said conductor is extended, as indicated at 6 to one side of a battery B the other pole thereof being connected by the wire 6 to the contact 6 The battery B" is connected by a branch 61 with the post 12, the main conductor D of which this branch is a part, being connected to the switch contact 12. The remainder of the circuit formed by this conductor, which comprises the loop D, receives current from the opposite pole of the battery B over the branch wire at in which is inserted the indicator (Z and from which leads the wire 03 to the switch contact 10 forming one terminal of the loop D the other extremity thereof being connected to the switch post 10. The loop O of the other main conductor C is completed through the switch arm 11, one end of the loop terminating at the post 11 the other extremity thereof being formed by the wire 0 joined to the switch contact 11'.

For the purpose of testing the continuity of the loops -a wire d is tapped to the loop D and connected by leads d d, and d with the switch contacts 10, 11 and 18 respectively, and a similar tap 0 leads from the wire 0 to the switch contact 12. Under normal conditions the switch F occupies the position shown in full lines and there is no current flowing over the main conductors G, D, but when any two thermostats constituting a pair of conductor connectors are actuated, a circuit will be established over the following path :battery B, wire cl, switch post 12, blade 12, contact 12, conductor D,

magnet 9, conductor 0, (loop 0) thermostat e, conductor E, thermostat 6, loop ductor D, switch contact 10*, wire 0Z i i 0?, wire d, battery B. The current lch traverses the circuit just described actuates the magnet 9 to retract the latch, or trip, 4 and permit the alarm box to be set into operation. If the switch F is operated the magnet 9 is cut out of the circuit and the following results will occur, providing the loop circuits are all intact. The switch arms 11 and 12 engage the contacts 11 and 12 when the following circuit may be traced :battery B wire d, switch post 12, arm 12, contact 12, wire 0, loop G, switch post 11, arm 11, contact 11, wire (Z (Z loop D, contact 10, wire d indicator d wire cl to battery B. The loops 0 and D of both the main conductors being continuous throughout their length will cause the indicating device or bell (Z to sound but as its operation is rendered impossible if either of said loops is broken, this fact may be easily determined in this manner. Likewise, the continuity of the loop formed by the secondary conductor E may be tested by moving the switch 6 in engagement with the contact 6* when current will be permitted to traverse the conductor illustrated in heavy lines in Fig. 2 to effect an operation of the indicating device 6. The switch 6 however is normally in engagement with the contact 6 as shown in full lines, but as the conductor 6 is connected with the switch post 13 the indicator 6 will be operated when the switch arm 13 engages the contact 13, in the event any of the thermostatic devices have been operated, as they will permit current to traverse either of the following paths :bat-

tery B wire 6 loop E, thermostat 6, loop conductor C, switch post 11*, arm 11, contact 11, wires (Z6, (Z (Z contact 13 arm 13, post 13 wire 6 indicator 6, wire 6 battery B or, battery B wire 6 loop E, thermostat 6, loop conductorD, switch post 10, arm 10, contact 10, wires (Z 6%, d, contact 13, arm 13, post 13*, wire 6 indicator 6, wire 6 battery B In Fig. 2, I have shown substantially the same arrangements of the parts as those previously described, with the exception that in lieu of the magnet 9 I have shown a fuse or heat coil G for restraining the action of the alarm box, which is designed to be destroyed by an excessive flow of current. In this figure the main conductors leading from the battery B are indicated by 0 and D, the secondary conductor being also indicated by E As it is not essential that the conductors be arranged in loop form as shown in Fig. 1 in order to carry out that part of my invention relating to the use of an intermediate conductor in conjunction with thermostats arranged in pairs, I have in this figure shown all of the conductors as arranged parallel to each other in straight lines.

Circuits for fire alarm systems arranged in the manner described possess not only the advantage of reducing to the minimum the liability of releasing the fire alarm signaling device or calling box accidentally but they may also be tested periodically by those in charge so that the factmay be known that they are at all times in proper operative condition I claim as my invention:

1. An alarm system comprising an alarm mechanism, an electrically operated device having terminals and controlling the operation of said mechanism, two separate conductors leading from the terminals of said device, and a third conductor, a source of current connected to one of said conductors and means for connecting the third conductor to both of the other conductors to complete an electric circuit through them.

2. The combination with a fire alarm signal mechanism and devices for restraining its operation embodying an electromagnet and a'source of current supply, of electrically separated main conductors leading from, the source of supply adapted to connect it in circuit with the magnet, a secondary conductor and thermostatic devices uniting it to each of the separated conductors, said secondary conductor and thermostatic devices being adapted to complete the circuit between the main conductors.

3. The combination with a fire alarm signal mechanism which is normally set in operative condition and an electrically operated device for restraining its operation, adapted to be actuated to release said mechanism by a fiow of current, of a source of current, electrically separated main conductors leading therefrom and adapted to connect it to the restraining device, a secondary conductor and thermostatic devices arranged between it and each of the main conductors which when operated are adapted to complete a circuit through the main conductors.

4- The combination with fire alarm signal mechanism which is normally set in operative condition and an electrically operated device for restraining its operation adapted to be actuated to release said mechanism by a flow of current, of a source of current, two electrically separated main conductors leading therefrom and adapted to connect it with the restraining device, each of said conductors forming a closed loop, a third or secondary conductor, thermostatic devices arranged alternately between the two loops and the secondary conductor adapted to electrically connect the two loops through said secondary conductor, switches interposed in the conductors for disconnecting them from the restraining device, contacts with which said switches engage, devices arranged in circuit with said loops and contacts for testing the continuity of the loops.

5. The combination with a fire alarm signaling mechanism which is normally set in operative condition and an electrically operated device for normally restraining its operation, which is adapted to be actuated to release said mechanism by a flow of current, of a source of current supply, two main conductors leading therefrom and adapted to connect it with the restraining device each of which is provided with a loop port-ion, a secondary conductor also provided with a loop portion, separate thermostatic devices connecting the secondary conductor at various separated points to the loop of each main conductor and switches interposed in the three conductors for dis- 7 dicating device located in the circuit of the connecting the circuit of the restraining deloop of the secondary conductor for indlcat- 10 vice, contacts With Which said switches coing its continuity.

operate indicating devices located in cir HI cuit with the loops of the two main conduc- WVILLI DENIO' tors and their contacts for indicating the Witnesses:

- continuity of said loops and testing the con- RUSSELL B. GRIFFITH,

dition of the thermostats and a separate in- LUoY A. VAN COURT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for-five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 6.? 

